Buying building materials

• Most selfbuilders are able to either pay no VAT or to reclaim much of the VAT that they pay for materials. HMRC has forms you can download for up-to-date information on VAT and selfbuild. Notice 431NB for newbuilds, 431C for conversions. There is also more information at this site.

But the rules are complex and not everyone can reclaim VAT.

• If you are extending or renovating an existing house, you must pay VAT at 20%.

• Creating a separate building or annexe doesn’t count as new build: VAT is 20%.

• Building holiday lets or a building to rent counts as a business use and VAT is due at 20%.

• Converting a non-domestic building into a home counts as new build: see notice 431C

• There is an intermediate rate of VAT (5%) which applies to some works, for instance turning a house into flats, or flats into a house, or for work on a house unoccupied for more than two years. But the work cannot be done on a selfbuild basis — you have to employ a VAT registered contractor.

• Listed buildings have some very complex VAT rules — refer to HMRC.

If you are eligible to reclaim VAT, then you have to keep very good records as you have to present your original VAT invoices at the end of the job. Generally, labour only and supply and fix invoices should be VAT free on new builds, but different rules apply on conversions.